Publications by authors named "Robertino Dilena"

Introduction: Biallelic variants in QARS1, a house-keeping gene involved in protein synthesis, cause a rare encephalopathy classically characterized by severe developmental delay, drug-resistant neonatal-onset epilepsy, microcephaly, and brain atrophy. We aim to raise awareness on mild QARS1-related phenotypes describing a 6-year-old patient.

Case Description: Epilepsy onset occurred at 3.

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Objective: Few studies have evaluated the efficacy of antiseizure medications (ASMs) according to the etiology of neonatal acute provoked seizures. We aimed to investigate the response to ASMs in term/near term neonates with acute arterial ischemic stroke (AIS), as well as the type of seizure at presentation and the monitoring approach.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated neonates from 15 European level IV neonatal intensive care units who presented with seizures due to AIS and were monitored by continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) and/or amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG) in whom actual recordings, timing, doses, and response to ASMs were available for review.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers evaluated a new method called Brain State of the Newborn (BSN) using deep-learning EEG to monitor the severity of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in neonates.
  • The study involved 46 neonates with HIE and compared their BSN scores to those of healthy infants.
  • Findings showed that early BSN could effectively differentiate between normal and abnormal outcomes and correlated with the Total Sarnat Score, providing a potential bedside marker for assessing HIE severity.
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  • The study evaluated neonatal seizures (NS) in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit, focusing on their epidemiology, seizure types, EEG findings, and underlying causes over a period from 2009 to 2022.
  • Out of 91,253 neonates, 145 experienced NS, with a notable incidence of 1.2 per 1,000 live births, revealing a higher genetic contribution (26.2%) and lower hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) rates (23.4%) compared to earlier research.
  • Findings indicated that seizure types and EEG patterns were crucial in determining the etiology, with specific associations noted between seizure characteristics and conditions like preterm birth, infections, vascular issues,
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Febrile seizures (FS) can be frightening for parents, even though they are usually harmless. Various questionnaires have been used to assess parental reactions and awareness about FS, revealing insufficient knowledge. Studies have shown that educational interventions significantly reduce parental concerns, improve knowledge, and promote better first-aid measures.

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Background: Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common neurological disorder in pediatric age. FS affect 2% to 12% of children and result from a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Effective management and unambiguous recommendations are crucial for allocating health care resources efficiently and ensuring cost-effectiveness in treating FS.

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Background: Non-polio enteroviruses (EV) and human parechoviruses (HPeV) are known etiological agents of meningoencephalitis in neonates. However, reports of neuroradiological findings and neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population are scarce.

Objectives: to describe clinical characteristics, neuroradiological findings and, in a subset of patients, neurodevelopmental outcomes in a cohort of infants with EV or HPeV meningoencephalitis within 60 days of life.

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  • The study investigates a neurodevelopmental disorder (-RD) caused by mutations in the MUNC18-1 gene, leading to symptoms like developmental delay and seizures, with varying severity among patients.
  • Using advanced techniques, researchers analyzed neurons derived from patients' stem cells, finding reduced levels of the MUNC18-1 protein, along with dysregulated proteins linked to synapse function and altered neuronal network activity.
  • The findings reveal common cellular traits across patients with -RD while also highlighting distinct phenotypic differences, suggesting varied underlying mechanisms of the disorder that could inform future research and therapy development.
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Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 45 (DEE45) is a neurogenetic disorder caused by heterozygous pathogenic variants of GABRB1, encoding the beta1 subunit of the GABA type A receptor. Only three infants with DEE45 have been reported so far, and a detailed description of the disease history of these patients is still lacking. We describe the clinical and genetic findings of a 21-year-old woman with DEE45 carrying a novel de novo GABRB1 mutation (c.

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Pathogenic variants impacting upon assembly of mitochondrial respiratory chain Complex IV (Cytochrome c Oxidase or COX) predominantly result in early onset mitochondrial disorders often leading to CNS, skeletal and cardiac muscle manifestations. The aim of this study is to describe a molecular defect in the COX assembly factor gene COX18 as the likely cause of a neonatal form of mitochondrial encephalo-cardio-myopathy and axonal sensory neuropathy. The proband is a 19-months old female displaying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at birth and myopathy with axonal sensory neuropathy and failure to thrive developing in the first months of life.

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Article Synopsis
  • Behcet's disease (BD) is a rare condition marked by widespread inflammation; neurological symptoms, especially in children, are infrequent and can complicate diagnosis.
  • The case study highlights a 13-month-old girl with severe neurological episodes that initially resembled acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, before evolving into signs indicative of Behcet's disease such as polyarthritis and uveitis.
  • Successful treatment involved a team of specialists and emphasized the importance of recognizing early-onset demyelinating syndromes and the need for a thorough literature review on BD's neurological aspects.
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Background: Acute cerebellar ataxia (ACA) and acute cerebellitis represent disorders characterized by a para-infectious, post-infectious, or post-vaccination cerebellar inflammation. They are relatively common neurologic disorders among children, and may follow infections, or, more rarely, vaccinations. Few cases are instead described among infants.

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Background And Objectives: encephalopathy is an ultra-rare autosomal recessive neonatal encephalopathy. We delineate the neonatal electroclinical phenotype at presentation and provide insights for early diagnosis.

Methods: Through a multinational collaborative, we studied a cohort of neonates with encephalopathy associated with biallelic pathogenic variants in for whom detailed clinical, neurophysiologic, and neuroimaging information was available from the onset of symptoms.

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Lysine-specific demethylase 5C (KDM5C) has been identified as an important chromatin remodeling gene, contributing to X-linked neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The KDM5C gene, located in the Xp22 chromosomal region, encodes the H3K4me3-me2 eraser involved in neuronal plasticity and dendritic growth. Here we report 30 individuals carrying 13 novel and one previously identified KDM5C variants.

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Objective: To develop consensus-based recommendations for the management of adult and paediatric patients with NORSE/FIRES based on best evidence and experience.

Methods: The Delphi methodology was followed. A facilitator group of 9 experts was established, who defined the scope, users and suggestions for recommendations.

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Objective: To develop consensus-based recommendations for the management of adult and pediatric patients with NORSE/FIRES based on best available evidence and expert opinion.

Methods: The Delphi methodology was followed. A facilitator group of 9 experts was established, who defined the scope, users and suggestions for recommendations.

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We present a family case of neonatal-onset -related epilepsy due to a novel intronic mutation. Three members of an Italian family (father and offspring) presented with neonatal-onset asymmetric tonic and clonic seizures with peculiar video-electroencephalography and aEEG features referring to sequential seizures. The father and the first son underwent standard of care treatments in line with current neonatal intensive care unit protocols, with a prolonged hospitalization before reaching full seizure control with carbamazepine.

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Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndromes are disorders characterized by infantile-onset, severe progression, and the drastic loss of mtDNA content in affected tissues. In a patient who showed severe hypotonia, proximal tubulopathy and sensorineural hearing loss after birth, we observed severe mtDNA depletion and impaired respiratory chain activity in muscle due to heterozygous variants c.686G > T and c.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the neurodevelopmental outcomes in patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), focusing on the relationship between neurodevelopment and epilepsy.
  • Researchers analyzed clinical data from 48 patients and found that seizure onset age influences developmental progress, with later onset linked to better outcomes, while seizure duration and remission age did not significantly affect development.
  • The results highlight two main disease trajectories—either early seizure remission or drug-resistant epilepsy—suggesting a wide range of neurodevelopmental impacts and the need for more focused future research on DEE.
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